Circuit control system



June 9, 1942. R. a. HUNTER CIRCUIT CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Nov. 1,4, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 'Sa www @o Mww June 9, 1942. R. B. HUNTER CIRCUIT CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Nov. 14, 1940 2 sheets-sheet 2 SCENE Z gg ICI) a 4 T P Patented June 9, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CIRCUIT CONTROL SYSTEM Richard B. Hunter, Shorewood, Wis., assignor to Cutler-Hammer, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Application November i4, 1940, Serial No. 365,636

11 Claims.

(Cl. F75-312) cuit potentiometers. The respective potentiometers of the various circuits are arranged so as to be controllable by a corresponding plurality of scene master potentiometers. Coordinated with ting a plurality of intensities of illumination of the potentiometers of each lamp circuit is a fader each circuit and effecting transition from one by means of which the control of any lamp cirpreset intensity to another at selective rates which cuit may be transferred from one scene controller may diiier from each other for different circuits. to another scene controller.

In my co-pending application Serial No. Fig. 2 shows a control panel for the system il- 280,448, filed June 22, 1939, now Patent No. 1o lustrated in Fig, 1, and 2,225,994 of December 24, 1940, I have disclosed Fig. 3 shows a detail of the mechanism for opa system of the aforementioned character in erating the various fader potentiometers. which each of a plurality of lamp circuit con- Referring to the diagram Fig. 1, the same illustrollers may be selectively grouped and the retrates a system comprising two lamp circuits I spective groups are connected to common master and 2, the intensity of illumination of which is controllers, one for each group and each scene controlled by lamp controllers 3 and 4, respecto be preset, so as to provide for transition from tively, which may be of any suitable type; as, one scene to another at different selected rates for example, that shown in my co-pending applifor the respective groups. In accordance with the cation Serial No. 286,848, now Patent No. 2,232,068 present invention each lamp circuit controller is of February 18, 1941, which responds to the difprovided with a plurality of scene controllers and ference in output voltage between a sender pomay be connected to the latter selectively through tentiometer and a receiver potentiometer, one of a fader which provides for transition of the cirthe latter forming part of each of the controllers cuit from one scene controller to another, while 3 and 4. the faders for the several lamp circuits may be In View of the fact that the controllers for the connected selectively to one of a plurality of opvarious lamp circuits are alike, only that for the erators to be driven at selected speeds, so as to lamp circuit I will be described in detail. The operate all of the faders connected to one operaenergy for the lamps and the control circuit is tor at the same speed, while the different opsupplied from the alternating current bus bars erators operate simultaneously at different speeds L1 and L2 as described in the aforementioned apto transfer the control of the individual lamp plications, Serial Nos. 280,448 and 286,848. circuits from one intensity control to another. As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, An object of the invention is to provide a simthe various elements of the illumination control ple system of the aforementioned character which system may be of a character adapted for use is applicable to any of a variety of types of volt- 3U with a source of supply of direct current. age control apparatus for the lamp circuits. The sender control system comprises two mas- Another object is to provide a system of the ter sender potentiometer rheostats or autotransaforementioned type including for each lamp cirformers 5 and 6, respectively, which have their cuit a plurality of individual controls, whereby input terminals connected across the lines L1 and transition of the intensity of illumination of an 4G L2 and which may be used selectively for the conindividual circuit from one preset to another is trol of scenes 1 and 2, respectively. The poteneffected gradually and continuously at a selected tiometer 5 is provided with a movable contact 5a rata and the potentiometer 6 with a movable Contact Another object is to provide a system wherein Ea by means of which variable output voltages if desired any of the individual circuits may be may be provided. The movable contacts 5a and controlled independently of any of the joint con- 68' are connected to bus bars I and 8, respectivetrol means. 1y. The system also includes two lamp scene Other objects and advantages will hereinafter potentiometers for each of the lamp circuits, the appearscene potentiometers for circuit I comprising the The accompanying drawings are illustrative of a system embodying the invention.

In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a circuit diagram of the system which comprises a plurality of lamp circuits each controllable selectively by a plurality of lamp cirrheostats 9 and I0 for scenes 1 and 2, respectively. The potentiometers 9 and I0 are respectively equipped with movable contacts 9a and Illa. A potentiometer rheostat II is connected lbetween the movable contacts 9a and I 8a. Said potentiometer rheostat is also provided with a movable contact I Ia which is adapted to impress a variable output voltage upon bus bar I2, the latter being connected to the lamp controller 3 to impress thereon a variable control voltage, as will be more fully described hereinafter.

In the diagram the movable contact IIa is shown at the extreme left so that the full potential of the movable contact Il2L is impressed upon the controller 3 and as a result the lamps have impressed thereon a voltage which causes them to operate at a brilliancy depending upon the position of the contact 9, modified by the voltage impressed upon the potentiometer 9 Vby the movable contact a of the potentiometer 5 through the bus bar 1, as fully described in my aforementioned applications Serial Nos. 280,448 and 286,848.

If it is now desired to enact the illumination effect for scene 2 the movable contact IiE is moved to the desired point of the master scene potentiometer 6, so as to impress the desired voltage on the bus bar 8 which voltage is then impressed upon the lamp scene potentiometer I 5J. Also the movable contact Illa is put in a position corresponding to the intensity of the lamps desired after the transfer from scene 1 to scene 2. If now the movable contact II a is moved at a desired rate from the extreme left hand position shown in the Adiagram to the extreme right hand position, the potential impressed upon the controller 3 is varied from that corresponding to the setting of the potentiometers 5 and 9 to that determined by the adjustment Vof the potentiometers 6 and I 0.

It will be obvious that the adjustments for the other lamp circuits may be made in a similar manner.

Referring now to Figs. 2 and 3, the same illustrates the mechanism by which the movable contact II'ad and similar contacts of other lamp circuits may be grouped together and operated at preselected speeds so as to transfer simultaneously all of the lamp circuits or a selected number of lamp circuits from one scene preset to another and to operate different lamp circuits at dierent selective speeds.

The fader potentiometer rheost'ats 9 and I9 respectively and the contact bar I2 are mounted iixedly on suitable brackets I3, which in turn are mounted behind a panel 21. The movable contact, IIa which bridges the circuit between the rheostat II and the bar I 2 is insulatedly supported by a pivot I4 on the bracket I3 by means of an insulating block .|5. The pivot I4 is rigidly connected to the bracket I 3. A fork lever I6 is pivotally attached to the insulating block I5 by means of pins |`I and I8 so that it may be oscillated or swung in either direction, from an intermediate position, at right angles to its directions of rotation about the pivot I4. The lever I6 is provided with pins I9 and 20, respectively, by means of which it may be selectively coupled to fork 2| or fork 22, which are frictionally attached by slip connections to shafts 23 and 24, respectively, to rotate therewith through a limited angle. The upper end of fork 2| (which is substantially identical in form and height with the upper end of lever 22) is broken away for purposes of illustration. The two shafts 23 and 24 may be, and preferably are, driven at different speeds by a motor 25 through suitable gearing 25, or said shafts may be operated in vany other suitable or desired manner. The lever I5 is also arranged so that it may `be held in its central or intermediate position wherein neither the pin I9 nor the pin 20 engages its cooperating forked lever 2| or 22, so that the rheostat I I may be directly controlled manually by means of the handle of lever I 6 independently of shafts 23'and 24.

The fader rheostats for the other lamp circuits are arranged similarly to the aforediscussed rheostats for lamp circuit No. I and are mounted in groups on a panel 21 as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The panel is provided with slots 28 for the handles of the several levers I6, the panel showing a total of seven control levers (marked Ila, Ib, etc.) for seven lamp circuits. As indicated in Fig. 2 the scene controllers for scene No. 1 of all of the respective lamp circuits are mounted to the left of the fader controllers, IIa, IIb, etc., whereas the scene controllers for scene No. 2 are mounted to the right of said fader control levers.

The panel is also provided with slots 29 and 30 for the contactor handles 5a and 5a of the master controllers (5 and 6, Fig. 1). They are arranged on the panel above the lever handles of the respective lamp scene potentiometers and it will be observed that the positions of the respective handles indicate the effect of the respective control instrumentalities.

During the enactment of scene No. l all of the levers of the fader potentiometers II are normally at the left in Fig. 2 and if it is desired to transfer the illumination from scene No. 1 to scene No. 2 these levers are moved at the desired rate or rates of speed to the extreme right as aforediscussed, by either coupling them with shaft 2| or with shaft 22, as shown in Fig. 3.

The gears Ywhich connect shafts 23 and 24 with the motor 25 differ from each other in size so that the two shafts operate at different speeds when the motor is energized. If it is desired to change from one scene setup to .another it is only necessary to set the proper scene masters and lamp circuit potentiometers, couple. the respective faders with shaft 23 or shaft 24 and energize the motor. The latter may be provided with suitable control switches for starting, stopping and reversing-as shown more or less diagrammatically at 3| in Fig. 2. This part of the equipment presents nothing novel and needs no further description.

I claim:

l. A control system, comprising a circuit to be controlled, voltage responsive means for controlling said circuit, a plurality of voltage regulators.

for presetting dierent operating values of an electrical condition of said circuit, fading means connected between said voltage regulators and said voltage responsive means and adapted upon.

operation to increase the effect of one and -to simultaneously decrease the effect of another o'f said regulators upon said voltage responsive means, a plurality of means for operating .said

fading means, and coupling means for selectively.

connecting said fading means to any one of said operating means.

2. A control system comprising a circuit to be controlled. voltage responsive means for controlling said circuit, a plurality of voltage regulators for presetting different operating values of an electrical condition of said circuit, fading means connected between the output terminals of said voltage regulators and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of one and to simultaneously decrease the effect of another of said regulatorsr upon said voltage responsive means, a plurality of means for operating said fading means operable simultaneously at different rates of speed, and coupling means for selectively connecting said fading means to one of said operating means.

3. A control system comprising a circuit to be controlled. voltage responsive means for controlling said circuit, a pair of voltage regulators for presetting different operating values of an electrical condition of said circuit, a fader having its input terminals connected between the output terminals of said voltage regulators and its output terminal connected to-said voltage responsive means and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of one and to simultaneously decrease the effect of the other of said regulators upon said voltage responsive means, a plurality of means for operating said fader, and selective coupling means for connecting it to one of said operating means.

4. In an illumination control system affording individual and joint control of the illumination intensity of a plurality of lamp circuits for the enactment of a plurality of illumination effects for different scenes, comprising, for each lamp circuit, voltage responsive means for controlling said intensity, a plurality of voltage regulators one for each of said scenes and affording a variable ratio between their respective input and output voltages, fading means connected between said voltage regulators and said voltage responsive means and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of the output voltage of one and to simultaneously decrease the effect of another of said regulators upon said voltage responsive means, a plurality of means each of which is adapted to operate any number of said fading means, and coupling means for selectively connecting any of said fading means to any one of said operating means.

5. In an illumination control system affording individual and/or joint control of the illumination intensity of a plurality of lamp circuits for the enactment of a plurality of illumination effects for different scenes, comprising, for each lamp circuit, voltage responsive means for controlling said intensity, a plurality of selectively operable voltage regulators one for each of said scenes and affording a variable ratio between their respective input and output voltages, fading means connected between the output terminals of said voltage regulators and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of one and to simultaneously decrease the effect of another of said regulators upon such voltage responsive means, a plurality of means each of which is adapted to operate any number of said fading means, said operating means being operable simultaneously at different rates of speed, and coupling means for selectively connecting any of said fading means to any one of said operating means.

6. In an illumination control system affording individual and joint control of the illumination intensity of a plurality of lamp circuits for the enactment of a plurality of illumination effects for different scenes, comprising, for each lamp circuit, a voltage regulator for controlling said intensity, a plurality of scene potentiometers, one for each of said scenes and affording a variable ratio between their respective input and output voltages, a fader potentiometer having input terminals connected between the output terminals of said scene potentiometers and its output terminal connected to said voltage regulator and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of the output voltage of one and to simultaneously decrease the effect of the output voltage of another of said scene potentiometers upon such voltage regulator, a plurality of operating means each of which is adapted to operate all or any number of said fader potentiometers, and coupling means for selectively connecting any of said fader potentiometers to any one of said operating means.

7. In an illumination control system affording individual and/ or joint control of the illumination intensity of a plurality of lamp circuits for the enactment of a plurality of illumination effects for different scenes, comprising, for each lamp circuit; a voltage regulator for controlling said intensity, a plurality of selectively operable scene potentiometers, one for each of said scenes and affording a Variable ratio between their respective input and output voltages, a fader potentiometer having input terminals connected between the output terminals of said scene potentiometers and its output terminal connected to said voltage regulator and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of one and to simultaneously decrease the effect of another of said scene potentiometers upon such voltage regulator; a plurality of operating means each of which is adapted to operate all or any number of said fader potentiometers, said operating means being operable simultaneously at different rates of speed, coupling means for selectively connecting any of said fader potentiometers to any one of said operating means, and reversible means for driving said plurality of operating means.

8. In an illumination control system affording individual and/or joint control of the illumination intensity of a plurality 0f lamp circuits for the sequential enactment of a plurality of illumination effects for different scenes, comprising, for each lamp circuit; a voltage regulator for controlling said intensity, a pair of scene potentiometers, one for each of two sequential scenes and affording a variable ratio between their respective input and output voltages, a fader potentiometer having input terminals connected between the output terminals of said scene potentiometers and its output terminal connected to said voltage regulator and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of the output voltage of one and to simultaneously decrease the effect of the output voltage of the other of said scene potentiometers upon such voltage regulator; a pair of operating elements either of which is adapted to operate all or any number of said fader potentiometers, means including a reversible electric motor for jointly driving said pair of elements in one direction or the other between predetermined limits, said last mentioned means including means for insuring predetermined different rates of speed for the respective elements, said last mentioned means also inl" cluding a slip clutch connection between each of said elements and said driving motor, and manually operable coupling means individual to each of said fader potentiometers to provide for selective connection of any of lthe latter to either of said operating elements, or alternatively to disconnect the respective potentiometer from both of said operating elements.

9. In an illumination control system affording individual and/or joint control 0f the illumination intensity of a plurality of lamp circuits for the sequential enactment of a plurality of illumination effects for different scenes, comprising, for each lamp circuit; a voltage regulator for controlling said intensity, a pair of scene potentiometers, one for each of two sequential scenes and affording a variable ratio between their respective input and output voltages, a fader potentiometer having input terminals connected between the output terminals of said scene potentiometers vand its output'terminal connected to said voltage regulator and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of the Output voltage of one and to simultaneously decrease the effect of the output voltage `of the other of said scene potentiometers upon such voltage regulator; a pair of operating elements either of which is adapted to operate all or any number of said fader potentiometers, means including a reversible Velectric motor 'for jointly driving said pair of ele-ments in one direction or the other between predetermined limits, said last mentioned means including means for insuring predetermined diferent rates Vof speed for the respective elements, said last mentioned means also including a slip clutch connection between each of said elements and said driving motor, manually operable coupling means individual to each of said fader potentiometers to provide for selective connection of any of the latter to either of said opera-ting elements, or alternatively to disconnect the respective potentiometer from both of said operating elements, and means comprising a pair of adjustable and preadjusted master scene potentiometers for modifying and controlling the illumination effects preselected by the scene potentiometers for each of the respective scenes.

10. A control system, comprising a circuit to be controlled, voltage responsive means for controlling said circuit, a plurality of voltage regulators for presetting diierent operating values of an electrical condition of said circuit, fading means connected between said voltage regulators and said voltage responsive means and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of one and to simultaneously decrease the eiect of another of said regulators upon said voltage responsive means,y a plurality ofmeans for operating said fading means, coupling means for selectively connecting said fading means to any one of said operating means, and associated means to provide for actuation of said fading means independently of said operating means.

11. A control system comprising a circuit to be controlled, voltage responsive means for controlling said circuit, a plurality of voltage regulators for presetting different operating Values of an electrical condition of said circuit, fading means connected between the output terminals of said voltage regulators and adapted upon operation to increase the effect of one and to simultaneously decrease the effect of another of said regulators upon said voltage responsive means, a plurality of means for operating said fading means operable simultaneously at different rates of speed, coupling means for selectively connecting said fading means to one of said operating means, and associated means to provide for actuation of said fading means independently of said operating means.

RICHARD B. HUNTER. 

